Autism brain samples damaged after freezer problem

BELMONT, Mass. (AP) — Scientists say a freezer malfunction at a Boston-area hospital has damaged one-third of the world's largest collection of autism brain samples.

The Boston Globe (http://bo.st/NsoCwH) reports that an official at Harvard-affiliated McLean Hospital in Belmont discovered the freezer had failed in late May without triggering alarms. Inside, 150 thawed brains had turned dark from decay. About a third were part of a collection of autism brains.

The collection is owned by the advocacy and research organization Autism Speaks. The group says the loss's impact on future research is unclear. A spokeswoman says the brains had been split in half and the halves that were stored elsewhere weren't damaged. Some of the damaged brain tissue had already been used in studies.